Hydrangea plant named ‘SMHALP’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hydrangea  plant named ‘SMHALP’ is disclosed, characterized by attractive flowers arranged in a lacecap inflorescence on plants with strong stems and a good upright habit. The new variety is a  Hydrangea , normally produced as an ornamental plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Hydrangea arborescens subsp. radiata.

Variety denomination: ‘SMHALP’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Hydrangea cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, at a commercial nursery in Grand Haven, Mich. The objective of the breeding program was to produce new Hydrangea varieties with good plant habit and showy flowers. The open-pollination resulting in this new variety was made during the summer 2011.

The parent varieties cannot be identified as this new selection resulted from an open-pollination in which seed was bulk collected from various seed parents.

The new variety was identified as a potentially interesting selection in the Summer of 2016, at a commercial greenhouse in Grand Haven, Mich.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘SMHALP’ by vegetative softwood cuttings was first performed during the Summer of 2015, at a commercial greenhouse in Grand Haven, Mich. Subsequent asexual propagation has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in four successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘SMHALP’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘SMHALP’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘SMHALP’ as a new and distinct Hydrangea cultivar:

-   1. Good, upright plant form. -   2. Attractive flowers arranged in a lacecap inflorescence. -   3. Strong stems.

PARENT COMPARISONS

The parent varieties cannot be accurately identified for comparison.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘SMHALP’ can be compared to the variety Hydrangea ‘Haas Halo’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,783. These varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics, however ‘SMHALP’ differs in the following:

-   1. The new variety has pink fertile flowers; this comparator as     green-white fertile flowers -   2. This new variety has green stems flushed red; this comparator has     green stems. -   3. The new variety has a more upright plant habit than this     comparator. -   4. Sepals on the sterile flowers of the new variety are light pink;     sepals on the sterile flowers of this comparator are white to green.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

‘SMHALP’ is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show the plant's form, foliage, and inflorescences. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Hydrangea.

FIG. 1 shows a close-up view of the mature inflorescence during Summer.

FIG. 2 shows a flowering plant of ‘SMHALP’ grown in Grand Haven, Mich. at the age of approximately 18 months grown in a poly house.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart 2015 except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘SMHALP’ plants grown in a commercial poly greenhouse in Grand Haven, Mich. under natural lighting. Measurements were taken during Summer and Fall of 2020. The plants were about 2 to 3 years old planted in the ground. The growing temperature ranged from 5° C. to 27° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Hydrangea radiata ‘SMHALP’.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to initiate roots: Approximately 18 days. -   Time to produce a rooted young plant: Approximately 60 days. -   Propagation method: Softwood cuttings. -   Roots: Thick, fine, fibrous, moderately dense. White and brown in     color, not accurately measured with R.H.S. chart.

PLANT

-   Plant type: Flowering deciduous perennial shrub. -   Age of plant described: Approximately 2 to 3 years old. -   Growth habit: Upright. -   Overall plant shape: V-Shaped. -   Height: 98 cm. -   Plant spread: 106 cm. -   Growth rate: Good. -   Plant vigor: Moderate. -   Branching habit: Abundant upright branches at acute angles from     center. -   Length of primary lateral branches: Average 65 cm. -   Diameter of lateral branches: 4 mm. -   Quantity of lateral branches: About 75. -   Stem:     -   -   Stem shape.—Round.         -   Stem strength.—Strong.         -   Color.—Immature: RHS Greyed-Red with slight Greyed-Green             193A. Mature: RHS Brown N200B.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Aspect.—Straight, occurring at 15° to 75° from center. -   Internode length: 3.5 to 6.5 cm. -   Lenticels: Colored RHS Greyed-Green 193A. Round, about 2- 3 mm in     diameter.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf shape.—Ovate.         -   Average length.—6 to 9 cm.         -   Average width.—3.5 to 4.5 cm.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Dentate.         -   Texture of top surface.—Leathery, pubescent.         -   Texture of bottom surface.—Leathery, pubescent.         -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: RHS Yellow-Green 146A.             Young foliage under side: RHS Yellow-Green 148B. Mature             foliage upper side: RHS Yellow-Green 146A. Mature foliage             under side: RHS Yellow-Green 148B.         -   Venation.—Pattern: Pinnate. Color upper side: RHS             Greyed-Yellow 160B. Color under side: RHS Green-White 157B.         -   Petiole.—Average Length: Average range 3 to 5 cm. Diameter:             1.5 mm. Petiole color upper side: RHS Greyed-Orange 177A.             Petiole color lower side: RHS Greyed-Orange 177B. Petiole             Texture upper side: Pubescent. Petiole Texture lower side:             Pubescent.

FLOWER

-   Natural flowering season: Summer. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Lacecap umbel.         -   Quantity of flowers per inflorescence.—Fertile flowers:             200-400. Sterile flowers: about 20.         -   Shape.—Flattened disc.         -   Height.—3 cm.         -   Diameter.—12 cm.         -   Fragrance.—None detected. -   Sterile flower:     -   -   Bud shape.—Round.         -   Bud length.—2 mm.         -   Bud diameter.—2 mm.         -   Bud color.—RHS Greyed-Purple 185C.         -   Aspect.—Upright and pendulous.         -   Flower length.—9 mm.         -   Flower diameter.—1.5 cm.         -   Persistence.—Self-cleaning. -   Sterile flower petals: Petals do not develop/open, or not present. -   Sterile flower sepal:     -   -   Arrangement.—Cruciform, very slightly overlapping.         -   Number.—4.         -   Shape.—Wide elliptical.         -   Tip.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Length.—1 cm.         -   Width.—8 mm.         -   Texture, upper.—Smooth.         -   Texture, lower.—Smooth.         -   Color.—Upper surface at first opening: White 155B flushed             greyed-purple 185D. Under surface at first opening: White             155B with some greyed-purple 185D near the edges. Upper             surface at maturity: White 155B flushed greyed-purple 185D.             Flushing stronger near the margins. Under surface at             maturity: White 155B with some greyed-purple 185D. -   Sterile flower pedicel:     -   -   Length.—1.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—1.0 mm.         -   Angle.—45° to 135°.         -   Strength.—Flexible.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Near Yellow-green 145D. -   Fertile flower:     -   -   Bud shape.—Sphere.         -   Bud length.—1 mm.         -   Bud diameter.—1 mm.         -   Bud color.—Near Greyed-Purple 185B.         -   Flower aspect.—Upright.         -   Flower shape.—Rotate.         -   Flower diameter.—3 mm.         -   Flower length.—3 mm.         -   Flower depth.—2 mm.         -   Persistence.—Self-cleaning. -   Fertile flower petals:     -   -   Arrangement.—Rotate.         -   Quantity.—5.         -   Length of petal.—2 mm.         -   Width of petal.—1 mm.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Shape of petal.—Narrowly elliptic.         -   Petal margin.—Entire.         -   Petal base.—Truncate.         -   Petal texture.—Smooth, upper and under side.         -   Color.—Upper surface at first opening: Near Greyed-Purple             185D. Under surface at first opening: Near White N155D.             Upper surface at maturity: Near Greyed-Purple 185D. Under             surface at maturity: Near White N155D. -   Fertile flower sepal: Inconspicuous, less than 0.5 mm. -   Fertile flower pedicel:     -   -   Angle.—45°.         -   Strength.—Flexible.         -   Length.—1 cm.         -   Width.—1 mm.         -   Texture.—Slightly pubescent.         -   Color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 145D.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Sterile flowers: None. -   Fertile flowers: -   Stamens:     -   -   Number.—About 10.         -   Filament length.—5 mm.         -   Filament color.—RHS White NN155A. -   Anthers:     -   -   Shape.—Globular.         -   Length.—1 mm.         -   Color.—RHS Greyed-White 156A.         -   Pollen color.—RHS White N155A.         -   Pollen amount.—Moderate. -   Pistil:     -   -   Number.—2.         -   Length.—1 mm.         -   Style.—Length: 0.8 mm. Color: White N155A.         -   Ovary color.—White N155A.         -   Stigma.—Shape: Bi-lobed. Color: White N155A.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Seeds and fruits: None observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to     normal diseases and pests of Hydrangea have been observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Tolerates temperatures in USDA Zones 3 to 9. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant named ‘SMHALP’ as herein illustrated and described. 